Calls for Longford to be left out of new land tax model as housing woes intensify
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is facing mounting calls to exclude Longford from a new land tax which could see homeowners and farmers with gardens or yards bigger than an acre being hit with hefty bills from Revenue.
The new Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) will apply to land and sites zoned for housing development and serviced with essential infrastructure but left unused.
The tax, which will replace the existing vacant site levy, will target any unused land zoned and serviced for housing, regardless of its size.
However, at a meeting of Longford County Council last week, several local politicians called into question its suitability to rural counties such as Longford.
"In my view, it is unworkable in Longford due to the dysfunctional housing market we have here," said Cllr Gerry Warnock.
The Independent representative accused Department of Housing bosses of employing a "one size fits all" policy, saying the premise behind the tax was chiefly aimed at land hoarding in some of Ireland's larger urban centres.
Under the plans, homeowners with gardens or yards bigger than an acre could find themselves caught within the zones targeted for taxation.
Councils, including Longford, have been drawing up maps of all residential zoned lands within their boundaries and these are to be published on November 1.
"I do believe this (tax) is for the bigger cities like Dublin, Limerick, Meath, Kildare and Galway," said Fine Gael's Paraic Brady, comments which were supported by party colleague Cllr Paul Ross.
Longford County Council are now expected to write to the Department of Housing over the coming weeks in a bid to relay many of those concerns on foot of last week's meeting.